OK GenCOn ENWorlders, document your experiences here...

[davethegame]

Even though we got a bag of free stuff (Thanks, Katie!) I still stopped by the WotC booth to buy the Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting, new Dungeon Tiles, and H2. The staff that I dealt with were super-friendly, even while keeping a big line moving. I guess the mood changes completely when they run out...

Anyway, here's where we're assembling links to all our GenCon coverage:
http://www.critical-hits.com/2008/08/15/gencon-2008-coverage/

And here's the pictures we took:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/davethegame/sets/72157606742295414/

 

[JediSoth]

I blogged my entire Gen Con experience, so I won't repost it here...

I had a great time. Though I was stupid and overbooked myself, I would argue that it was the best year, yet, for me, despite the lack of good swag. The highlight, as always, was getting to see friends from a far again and getting to game with them.

 

[Banshee16]

I try to be a polite person and teach my children to be the same. I have a very low tolerance for direct and intentional rudeness (I'll tend to overlook the obviously unintentional rudeness...we're talking gamers, after all) . Maybe I’m just a little old-fashioned, but this was an astonishing display as the face of a company interacting with the public, at least in my opinion. Okay, the booth staff may have caught some grief during the Con from various rude attendees (such as all those people wearing those incredibly tacky “4th Edition Killed Gary” T-Shirts), but still, on what level was this at all professional or even excusable? If I hadn’t been so angry at the time, I would have had the presence of mind to get the name of the jackass, but sadly I didn’t. I’ll sure as hell remember his face and voice, though. I’ll continue to support my local FLGS and buy WOTC products through them, but I will NOT be giving my money directly to WOTC again. Period. Oh, I was pissed.

That's where you write down the name on his badge, and write a complaint to WotC customer support or whatever, afterwards. That kind of behaviour is objectionable, and the hopefully that employee isn't brought back for another Con......customer service like that can do a lot of damage to a company. I'd imagine you weren't the only person who had a bad experience with the person.

Banshee

 

[Mark Plemmons]

(such as all those people wearing those incredibly tacky “4th Edition Killed Gary” T-Shirts)

I killed one of those guys and took his stuff.





Who says D&D doesn't teach social interaction?

 

[Mark Plemmons]

WoTC Rep: "Where would I put the books? I only have so much space for product. What would you have me do with the books I don't sell? Are you going to pay my shipping costs to send them back when the Con is over if they don't sell? I don't think so"

Yeah, that's pretty much one of the stupidest replies ever. Even ignoring the poor customer service, it's just silly to bring only about 100 books to a convention with thousands of your fans, unless it's a small advance printing batch.

Our booth was up by the exhibit hall doors on the WotC side, and it was like a herd of mad cows every morning when the doors opened, with gamers running to the WotC booth, only barely restrained by the shouts of the security guards.

WotC shouldn't be blamed for the overeager crowd, but limiting supplies to even 200-300 books a day would have been a lot better than 20-30.

 

[catsclaw227]

What booth had the obnoxious "4e killed Gary" shirts? I want to know who NOT to spend my on.

 

[crazy_monkey1956]

I was one of the volunteers at the GenCon booth, though I wasn't at the counter (I was running delves and killing PCs with the Beholder).

I just want to say, from a personal standpoint that I am sorry for the poor treatment longshadow received at the counter. I have enough experience in customer relations to know that that was uncalled for. This was my first time at GenCon and most of the volunteer are a great batch of folks, helpful, courteous and considerate. Hopefully that one bad example won't ruin folks opinions of the rest of us.

I only got a brief chance to interact with The Rouse and I will vouch for the fact that he is a stand-up, pure awesome kind of dude.

Edit: I didn't see a booth actually selling the "4th Edition Killed Gary Gygax" shirts. I think those wearing them brought them to the Con.

 

[The_Baldman]

they were not limited to 20-30 a day. That Sunday I was bringing down every extra FRCS I could find that I had not handed out to my judges (which I handed out over 200 of them to my workers Saturday night). I told them I could probably scrape up 20-30 extra ones which would not last very long versus the demand but it was at least another 20-30 happy people.

I am not defending some of what was said. Certain tones are inexcusable from a customer service position. Just please keep in mind the crap they have to put up with. I saw it a few times and it's why I don't do those types of jobs (or if I did I wouldn't be doing them very long LOL). By the time you ask them about the FRCS they've probably been asked that a few hundred times. Most of those by people probably being a little less polite then you. Their answer is still not acceptable but I can totally understand how they could get to that point.

As to the line and 10am selling it's due to other vendors from my understanding. In past years (and heck this year) they send their lackeys over to line-up before the room opens. They then buy the stuff and haul it back to resell from their booth. "Look what we have. Wotc is out but get yours here". Some vendor's were buying DM's screens in the VIG session on Thursday in 10 packs before they were stopped. They want to sell the product to the fans not to another vendor who can then charge them extra for it or make them look bad.

 

[catsclaw227]

Edit: I didn't see a booth actually selling the "4th Edition Killed Gary Gygax" shirts. I think those wearing them brought them to the Con.

I see. I had heard that some guys manning a booth were wearing them, though I wasn't sure if anyone was selling them.

Either way, It's really poor taste. if you are working a booth, you are representing a company's brand, or in this case jeopardizing it's brand.

 

[coyote6]

[...]Piratecat's M&M game on Saturday night was the absolute highlight of the weekend. We all know what a genius he is, and he did not disappoint. Plus, the table was filled with terrific players, most notably a fellow know here as HyperSmerf, I believe, who revealed his own genius in the final scene and surprised even PCat. I had a blast (literally) zooming around as Jetette, and the evening was filled with humor, danger, suspense, romance, and angst, not to mention cookies, robots, refrigerator magnets, trained sea gulls, and piranha.

Thanks to all who made it so great.

What she said. I had a blast.